MAnchester film festival

Manchester Film Festival is a truly independent film festival, committed and dedicated to sharing great stories from both new and established international and domestic filmmakers from the world of independent cinema. The organisation is proud of its honest and transparent roots and will continue with the original ethos of selecting films purely from open submissions.

Cardboard Gangsters the 2017 Film of the Festival and Best Dramatic Feature winner has secured UK distribution following its UK premiere at the Manchester Film Festival. The film has already had a hugely successful release in Ireland and is still adding screens 4 weeks after its initial release.

Manchester Film Festival returned for its third edition with another amazing collection of independent films. One of the treats for the audience has always been the chance to meet and ask questions of the filmmakers after their UK and world premiere screenings. This year was no exception with even more filmmakers attending the festival and some big names making an appearance too.

Submissions are open for Maniff2018

The Manchester Film Festival 2018 follows on from three impressive editions in 15, 16 and 17. Over the 4 day weekend #17 Manchester once again attracted crowds of film critics, filmmakers, distributors, fans and of course the industry professionals of our established Jury Select, who witnessed an eclectic mix of diverse films to savour and remember. The north- west themed opening night was packed to the rafters with the ODEON cinema looking more reminiscent of a premier league football ground than the city’s largest multiplex, with filmmakers from every corner of the globe mixing and milling in the crowds of film fans looking to get their first chance to catch the films of the festival. With strands from ‘Women in Film’ to ‘Rising Stars and ‘Be who you are say what you feel’ MANIFF17 went from opening night through to closing awards with a glow of world premieres, filmmaker panel discussions and special guests that included Timothy Spall, Karen Allen, Olivia Cooke, Stef Dawson, Bronwen Hughes, James Nesbitt and many more writers, directors, producers and actors from the world of stage and screen. The 2017 event proved yet again Manchester’s commitment to be one of the most filmmaker centric festivals in the world with every film session being represented with a filmmaker Q and A… A testament to MANIFF’s hospitality for all its selected filmmakers. This personable approach not only makes the festival a great experience for filmmakers but also reflects these efforts with sell out audiences who come out in force, hungry for insights of behind the scene information. From amazing cinema screens to all out after parties the Manchester Film Festival is fast becoming the go to film fest of the UK and it’s now ready for #18.

MANIFF 2017 Review

Manchester Film Festival 2017 Trailer

Manchester Film Festival 2016 Review - Trailer

Submit now to “the next Sundance” – ‘I LOVE Manchester’ and be a part of one of the most vibrant film festivals in the world.

one of the Top 10 best reviewed festivals in the world on FIlmFreeway.

Check out what filmmakers say to see why!

“The Manchester Film Festival is an extraordinary experience — a gathering of filmmakers and fans with the pure intention of celebrating the creativity of film.” Bronwen Hughes, Director, The Journey is the Destination

"Really, I expect this festival be the next Slamdance, so it was a real honor to be selected!" Ryan Michael, Director, Josephine Doe

"MANIFF Rocks!" Stef Dawson, Actress, Creedmoria

"Undoubtably the best festival I’ve been to – and I’ve been to a lot over the last year. Some festivals get it spectacularly wrong with the screenings, the programming, the general atmosphere etc whereas you got everything spot on. The films I saw were excellent and the people I met were lovely." Paul Hendy, Director, The Last Laugh

“Thanks to the Manchester film festival for giving a voice to something that would not really be seen anywhere else.” James Raue, Director, Psychoanalysis

“The most fun festival we’ve ever been to. And we’ve been to a lot!” Cornelia Moore, Director, West of Redemption

“Thanks to the Manchester Film Festival for taking a chance on our film, just to have us here and for us to be involved. We’ve had such a good time meeting all the other filmmakers and getting to watch and be inspired by their films.” Jonny Moore, Director, Made in Taiwan

"Tele-port me back to ManIFF, anytime! An amazing time with great memories and great friends made along the way" - Mary -Lyn Chambers, Director Debris

“I must congratulate you on your choice of strategy with the submitting procedure, since you had this independent feeling on many of your films. Coming to this festival had interesting perspectives. This will absolutely become a, in the best sense, “larger festival in the many years to come”. Leif Mohlin, Producer, There Should be Rules.

“I feel like this is going to be a bigger and important festival, as the years go on, an amazing early life to a festival with massive international potential.” Larry Estes, Producer, West of Redemption

"The most communicative and informative film festivals I have ever had the pleasure of attending" - Nicholas Gray, Director, The Paper Store

"The festival and all its staff are just as passionate about film as the filmmakers themselves, absolutely fantastic!" Nicholas Moss, Director, Break

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Award Winners 2017

Best Actress - Olivia Cooke - Katie Says Goodbye

Cardboard Gangsters Winner of Film of the Festival, Best Narrative Feature and Best Actor

Best International Short - A Tree A Rock A Cloud

Last Laugh - Best UK Short and Best UK Film

Best Cinematography - Journey is the Destination

Best International Feature - When the Sun Shines

Creedmoria winner of Best Production, Best Director (Lee Slimmer) and the Audience Award.